Cloning old Macbook Pro to a newer one AND preserving old Catalina and compatible apps

[rp92fl]

Hello everyone,
I've been a MacOS user since several years, lately on a Macbook Pro Late 2013 where I've been careful to stay with Catalina since I have installed a few apps (especially Adobe) which are in old versions (not available anymore) and wouldn't almost certainly install and/or work on later OS.
As I'm going to get a newer Macbook Pro (a 2019 i7 6-core) I was planning to clone my latest TimeMachine full backup onto the new Macbook. My question is: will this bring the new Macbook to Catalina as well (despite it might have Monterey e.g.) and most importantly will my old applications still work seamlessly, so basically everything like handing off my hands from the old macbook and moving straight onto the new one?
P.S. If the OS is a concern, I might first try to downgrade the new macbook to Catalina and then restore the TimeMachine backup if it helps.

 

[admwright]

You should be fine as the 2019 laptops shipped with 10.14 - you can use newer versions of OS but not earlier versions. From Every Mac:

Pre-Installed MacOS:

X 10.14.5 (18F132)

Maximum MacOS:

Current

Details:

This model is fully compatible with the final version of macOS Mojave (10.14); macOS Catalina (10.15), including support for Dolby Atmos; and the final version of macOS Big Sur (macOS 11), as well. It additionally supports the final version of macOS Monterey (macOS 12), but it does not support the minor Spatial Audio, Portrait Mode, 3D Landmarks, and Interactive Globe features. When paired with a compatible iPad, it supports the Sidecar feature, too. Finally, this model is fully compatible with the current version of the macOS -- macOS Ventura (macOS 13) -- with the exception of the minor Live Captions in FaceTime, Emoji Dictation, and Reference Mode with Sidecar features.

 

[rp92fl]

Thanks for getting back.
So I guess the process would be first to downgrade to Catalina and then restore the latest old mac's full backup from time machine ?
And that would bring me in the new mac in the very exact situation (and running apps) of the old mac ?
Or perhaps (better or worse or same option ?) then run the native Migration tool directly from the older to the newer (without going through Time Machine) ?

 

[mitstoshi]

My situation is similar that my current is 2012 iMac with Catalina and new one is 2021 iMac should be shipped with Big Sur or Monterey (just got it today). I have a CCC copy of my old iMac (On an external SSD). So I guess I should first set up the new iMac with newer MacOS then transfer the data from CCC copy.

 

[rp92fl]

As above suggested for my case by @admwright, you should first check whether you can install Catalina on such a new machine. Have a look at Everymac website for your specific model as he suggested, there you might find what OS are supported for your machine.

 

[hallux]

As above suggested for my case by @admwright, you should first check whether you can install Catalina on such a new machine.

I don't think that's what @mitstoshi is intending to do. If I'm reading between the lines properly, they intend to use the CCC of the old computer as a source to restore files and apps to the new computer, as though copying from an old running computer. That process JUST copies files and apps, it does not copy the OS.

 

[mitstoshi]

I don't think that's what @mitstoshi is intending to do. If I'm reading between the lines properly, they intend to use the CCC of the old computer as a source to restore files and apps to the new computer, as though copying from an old running computer. That process JUST copies files and apps, it does not copy the OS.

My new iMac was shipped with Monterey 12.5.1 so I just set up the new computer then transfer data from CCC copy on SSD to the new compter without any problem.